How Do You Troubleshoot Bread Baking Problems?
Troubleshooting means that mistakes were made the first time a loaf of bread was baked. Some of the most common errors are bread that won’t rise; bread that rises too much, or collapses; and cracked crust. Buy and use new yeast that is well before the expiration date. Old yeast does not rise as much. Take the temperature of the water into which your recipe says to dissolve the yeast. It should be between 110 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If the water is too cold, the yeast will not produce enough CO2, and if the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. Completely dissolve all of the yeast into the warm water by sprinkling the yeast over the surface of the water instead of dropping it in. If the yeast does not completely dissolve, the bread will not rise. Add the salt with the flour in the recipe. Too much contact with salt will kill the yeast and stop it from making the bread rise. Bring all other ingredients for the bread loaf to room temperature before adding them to the recipe. Add 1
